Bae told his best friend late that night in their tent. Well, really it was her tent, but Bae had convinced Morraine’s
roommate to switch with him so that he could spend as much time as he wanted to with her when he wasn’t on the battlefield during the day. No one seemed to mind, so it was all fine for both of
them.

“I know, Bae but… What if- “

“-Just one more night… And we can go home.” As he looked into her eyes and offered her a smile full of nothing but sincerity, with his hand clasped hers, Bae could see the doubt… He could see the
worry… Little did he know that her eyes would reflect their future.

“I promise.”

“I know you do.” She smiled softly in return, while she locked eyes with the boy who too held her heart in his hands.

THE OGRES ARE COMING!!!
CHARGE!!

Battle cries broke out across the horizon that next morning as soldiers ran as fast as they could to their various positions. The children soldiers were dragged from their tents aggressively
without getting breakfast or even a chance to really put themselves together.

“Go to your positions, now!” One
General yelled and the children scattered their various places. Bae turned his head and quickly ran back to Morraine, giving her the tightest hug he could ever give someone.

“I’ll be back for you… We arrived together and we will leave together.” He whispered, “I promise…”

“I know you do..” She whispered back.

Then he let go and he ran off through the mass people slashing swords and spears left and right, leaving her to fight her own battles.. Despite his position, Baelfire liked it. Why? it wasn’t
because it was safest. It wasn’t because it made a great place to fight from. It was because, from his position, Bae could see the girl he’s had a crush on since as long as he could remember, as
clear as day. He could see if she got hurt. He could see if people were fighting near her… He could see if she got hurt.

He watched as Morraine began fighting in a battle of her own. It wasn’t long until Bae was in battle and his attention had shifted from Morraine. Clink! Clank!Bae’s
sword hit the other attacking him as he did his best to stay alive while fighting. He had a promise to keep, he couldn’t go back on that. Not today. He had lived for fourteen years keeping promises
to Morraine and he was not going to stop now. He just had to keep fighting. He blindly kept swinging, avoiding stabs thrust his way.

Blink!Bae opened his
eyes. The soldier he was fighting was on the ground by his feet, blood stained the grass around him, and Bae just looked at his sword in horror as his brown eyes grew wider and wider every second.

“I-I…. I just… killed someone…” He said the words allowed to himself in a whisper as cries of anguish were practically blurred out. He had now killed three people… Ogres… Whatever they were since
he had been at war. Each one shocked him more than the last. Each memory, just as gruesome as the last.

He shook his head, tossing his brunette curls to and fro as he cleared his mind. He looked around the battlefield for his mousy-haired friend. She was fighting someone. Someone was trying to hurt
her. No, they were going to hurt
her.

“Morraine!” The boy called, running to her rescue with his crimson-stained sword tight in his hands.

“B-Bae? Baelfire what are you-”

“Just watch out, Morraine!”

He pushed Morraine out of the way so that he could keep fighting for her. In that moment, Baelfire didn’t care if he died. Baelfire didn’t care if he never saw his Papa again. What he did care
about, was that his best friend lived another day.

Blink.

“BAELFIRE!!!”

…Silence.

It all happened so fast. He didn’t know had happened but all he knew was that he blinked. He felt a sharp pain. He heard a gasp… He heard Morraine’s voice…. then he felt her arms…. He felt his
shirt rapidly become soaking wet… He watched his world vanish from his eyes.

“M-Morraine…” Bae’s voice broke out from his throat as blood quickly started to feel his lungs.

“B-Baelfire… Baelfire stay with me… Please…? PLEASE?!” Morraine begged as tears flooded her gentle brown eyes and her arms held her best friend closer to her chest.

Shakily, Bae raised a hand to Morraine’s cheek, his heartbeat slowing down every second. His fingers touched her cheek so delicately it was as if a ghost was touching her fair skin. “I-I’ll… Be…
I’ll be…. Okay…” Words were slowly starting to fail. His eyes fluttered weakly as he tried to keep the light in his eyes. “I…. I wi-…”

Morraine gently shook Bae in her arms to try and keep him awake. Her tears rapidly started to pour down her cheeks onto his now blood-soaked chest. “B-Bae? Baelfire! BAE!!”

“I-…I’m…” His body started to get heavier and heavier as parts of him started to shut down for good. His breathing was leaving his lips in such broken, painful fragments that each one broke
Morraine’s heart more and more to hear.

“NO, NO, NO, DON’T DIE ON ME!!“ She cried out. She plied one hand from around his torso, gently touching his cheek with her now blood-soaked hand. “Please… PLEASE?! YOU CAN’T LEAVE ME!”

Bae’s eyes opened just a bit wider as they looked up at the face of the girl he loved. “I-I…. I wo-…n’t… lea…ve you… N-No.. I-….”

“Bae…” she choked through her tears.

“N-No… ma…tter what h-h-happ…happens.. I w-will always b-be.. with… you…. “ Using the last bit of breath and strength he had, Bae sat up from Morraine’s lap so that he could do something he had
always dreamed of doing to his crush, and best friend. Baelfire kissed her. Not a forceful kiss… No. A kiss that had every ounce of love and passion that the young boy had in his heart for her.
Though it was soft by the feeling, the meaning, and passion behind it was strong. It was not lasting long as Baelfire felt his strength start to give out as his life drained its last drops.
Morraine held him close in her arms as she closed her eyes to the war around them, letting their kiss separate them from the rest of the world. As her tears slid down her cheeks, Morraine could
feel his frame struggling to keep alive, she could feel him shaking…She could feel him dying as he slowly began to pull away.

“…F-Forever….” The word left his lips in a ghostly whisper as his frame finally fell back against her lap, still, his head against her chest with his eyes closed for the last time to the world. His
hand fell from her cheek, crashing against the grass that had engulfed the pair in the midst of battle. Morraine just sat there crying, clutching her best friend to her chest for a few moments
longer.

“A-And I will always be with you…” She whispered through her tears as she laid him down in the grass. She made him look to be at peace, his legs together, clasping his hands together on his chest
so he appeared to be sleeping. She then grabbed some flowers from around them and tucked them under his hands. She looked down at her best friend’s sleeping face, her tears falling on his pale
skin.

“…I promise….” And on that final heartbreaking promise, Morrain folded her arms on his stomach and cried as the war went on around her.

She cried for the empty future.

She cried for the lack of memories they will share together.

She cried… Because she will never get to tell him that she loved him..

And she cried because… She would never get to see his smile ever again…